Oregon Industrial Symbiosis Study Tour to Denmark
June 9–15, 2024

CSI's latest Industrial Symbiosis Study Tour of Denmark took place June 9 - 15 and featured public and private leaders from the Great State of Oregon!

Thanks to a grant from the Scan Design Foundation, the delegation included a bipartisan group of 8 key Oregon policymakers. And thanks to a grant from
Business Oregon, 10 symbiosis -ready business leaders from around the state also joined the delegation.

The Study Tour centered on Industrial Symbiosis (IS), a ground-breaking approach to infrastructure and economic development, pioneered in Denmark, where one sector’s wastes – energy, water, materials – become valuable resources for other businesses.

The delegation toured Danish projects, and consulted with industry leaders and project developers, to learn how Danes are applying IS principals and best practices to benefit the economic value, competitiveness, and sustainability of Danish industry. The Study Tour itinerary emphasized projects and facilities from sectors with great relevance to Oregon industry, such as wood products, food, and beverage producers.

Study Tour Itinerary

Since 2017, CSI has visited Denmark with three dozen Washington state legislators – evenly distributed between Republicans and Democrats -- on study tours where they observed IS in action. These bipartisan legislators found significant common ground in seeing the potential to adapt Denmark’s IS model to benefit a wide range of Washington communities, while strengthening the state’s economy and environment. Legislative accomplishments in Washington may provide an inspiring model that Oregon legislators can build upon.

The Industrial Symbiosis knowledge exchange between Oregon and Denmark will not end with the study tour in Denmark. To maximize enduring impact, it is also essential to share the knowledge among the broader Oregon community, to identify policy priorities with bipartisan support of top legislators, and to build ongoing relationships between innovators in Oregon and Denmark so that valuable knowledge flows both ways.